Last week, washi (handmade Japanese paper) was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage product. I'm a fan of this beautiful paper and purchase it for special occasions whenever I can but I had the chance to try my own hand at making washi earlier this year on a trip to Yame in Fukuoka Prefecture.... Continue Reading →
Manhole Monday: Yame
Well, let's bring this tea obsession to a close, shall we? I promise you all, I conducted a ridiculously thorough raid on my photo files this weekend to see if I could come up with any other manhole covers. Aside from Tokyo's less than inspiring sakura design and a few rather hazy ones I took in western Tokyo... Continue Reading →
Spotlight: Yame Central Tea Garden
Shizuoka Prefecture is well known for its tea fields - especially with the iconic Mt Fuji looming over them - but if you happen to be traveling the southern reaches of Japan instead, you can get your tea fix at the Yame Central Tea Garden in southern Fukuoka Prefecture. Admittedly, the name is a bit... Continue Reading →